Congress terms people of Nagaland as a ‘corrupt society’ after failure to form government

The Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) today said the verdict of Nagaland Assembly elections is also a reflection of the people of Nagaland before the World that ‘Nagaland is a corrupt society’ and the verdict is a mindless verdict.

People have chosen corrupt money over leadership, issues and programmes, he said.
In a release issued by NPCC President K. Therie today said that it was known that
Congress party was going to draw a blank in the Assembly elections, but we decided not
to retire INC candidates.

“We gave what we have to the people of Nagaland. If one has gone through our election Manifesto, we believe, we have given a vision document that was meant for change in totality. Congress candidates were the best candidates. They were all God fearing secular-minded
leaders with good morals, Therie said.

It is observed that the rural population has become too poor and has nothing more than
money in their minds. People are hungry and thirsty. There is a money famine in the state.
They do not have money for medicine or for admission fees. Many households have four to
five unemployed qualified children,” he added.

The release said, “this situation has been exploited with corrupt money gained from
MGNREGA, the BJP and the NDPP. The verdict is a mindless verdict. I am pained to see
that many educated persons, who behave like having high morals in society and Church,
are the ones with money bags moving house to house to buy votes. Therefore, the verdict
is not an honourable verdict for any decent citizen.”

The entire election was reduced to an auction of votes. For a house having two votes,
Rs. 1 Lakh was paid. There was no vote for good roads, hospitals, schools and other
decaying infrastructures. No one raised objection to MGNREGA corruptions. No one raised
issues from the Election Manifestos. Some party did not even offer Election Manifesto. The
Electoral College did not question or discuss issues or manifestos. The vote was not for
the future, it said.

Therie said, “The reason for Congress’ election debacle is for our inability to beat the
power of corrupt money. We have lost the battle to corrupt money. There was no conscious
vote which is expected of the Representation of the people of Act 1951. The Act has outlived
itself and is no more effective. The Electoral Roll itself is defective with multiple entries. Bribes and massive proxy voting could not be stopped. CCTV and Web casting could not stop proxy
voting. Serious electoral reform is necessary.”

The present system of election is not fit for the rural poor society who does not understand
the system and purpose of election. The verdict is also a reflection of the people of Nagaland
before the World that Nagaland is a corrupt society, he said.

“We have reflected that religion and faith are not practiced. We have also reflected that
society has even lost its inherent honesty. It is a shameful reflection. Congress does not
belong to such corrupt society. I therefore, refuse to honour and accept the verdict as a
democratic mandate,” Therie added.